Conveyer having pivotal pan



March 25, 1952 E. J. ALBRIGHT,

coNvEYER HAVING PIvoTAL PAN 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1` Filed Jan. 22, 1949 l. nl1 March 25, 1952` E J, ALBRlGH-r 2,590,291

CONVEYER HAVING PIVOTAL PAN Filed Jan. 22. 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 l l 6l' Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CQNVEYER HAVINGPIVOTAL FAN Edward J. Albright, Chicago, ll.

Application January 22, 1949, Serial No. '72,l02

(Cl. ISS-148) l Claims.

This is a continuation-impart, of application Serial No. 577,039, filedFebruary 9, 1945, which matured at Patent No. 2,516,499 on July l2,1950.

The invention relates to improvements in c onveyor systems and moreparticularly to such a system embodying novel structural featuresespecially adapting it for use in cleaning, cutting and packagingpoultry or therlike.

Known types of apparatus having traversing pans or other receptacles,useful in conjunction with the evisceration of poultry, areunsatisfactory because of the difficulty occasioned in supporting thepans for use and in emptying the pans after use and positioning themproperly for Washing and sterilizing. It is, therefore, an object of thepresent invention to provide an apparatus, including an endless conveyorchain having pans hingedly mounted thereon wherein the pans aresupported in a usable position over the greater part of the distance oftravel of said conveyor.

AAnother object is to provide a conveyor chain with novel hinge elementsadapted to hingedly support pans in spaced relation thereto.

Another object isv to provide an apparatus of the character described,including an endless chain having a series of pans hingedly connectedthereto, with novel means adapted to position and hold said pans in asubstantially horizontal plane while said chain is traversing apredetermined portion of its path and to enable said pans to rest insubstantially vertical position while a remaining portion of the path istraversed by said chain. Another object is to provide an apparatus ofthe character described, including an endless chain having a series ofpans hingedly connected thereto, with novel means adapted to positionand hold said pans in a substantally horizontal plane while said chainis traversing a predetermined portion of its path and to enable saidpans to rest in substantially vertical position while a remaining'portion of the path is traversed by said chain. notliei" object is toprovide an apparatus of the character described with novel means in theform of a conveyor belt arranged in 'close proximityv to the pansadapted to convey containers or packages into which pieces from the pansare packed, and to deliver the packed containers to a Weighig table. y

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character describedwith novel means to facilitate packaging of pieces deposited in a panconveyor.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which by way of illustration show one embodimentand the principle thereof and which is considered to be the best modecontemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments Aof theinvention embodying the same principle may be used and structuralchanges may be made as desired by those skilled .in the art Withoutdeparting from the present in-` vention and the purview of the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is aside elevational view of the improved apparatus, showingportions thereof broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on une 3-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on line 4 4 of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the conveyorchain illustrating the pivotal mounting for' the pans.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 5

but illustrating details of the driving mechanism for the pan conveyorchain.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on line 8-8 ofFig. l.

Referring particularly to the installation selected for disclosure inthe accompanying drawings, the apparatus includes a table-likeconstruction consisting of an oval-shaped track II supported in ahorizontal position elevated above the floor upon suitable legs I2. Thelegs I2 may be vertically adjustable so as to accommodate the apparatusto uneven supporting surfaces. The track II preferably is formed ofsheet material substantially U-shaped in section, as best illustrated inFig. 6, and a portion of said trackA is suitably cut away along one sideto provide for the mounting, in close association therewith, of adriving unit generally indicated at I3. The unit I3 may be of anyconventional construction and it includes suitable mechanism, to bereferred to in detail presently, operative to impart positive anduniform movement in a clock-Wise drection to an endless conveyor chainI4 arranged Within the track II.

As best illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the conveyor chain I4preferably consists of a lplurality of links I5 and I6 alternatelyconnected end to end as by pins I'I. The links I5 carry rollers I8rotatably upon a vertical axis for minimizing friction on the side wallsof the track II when the conveyor chain ismoving around a curve as ateither end of the table. The alternate links I6 have a pair of rollersI9 journalled therein on a horizontally disposed axis, which rollersnormally roll along the bottom wall of the track II and are adapted 'toengage the inwardly turned top margins 2l of said track when theconveyor chain moves upwardly as on an incline. Each link I6 alsoincludes a cross-pin 22 which serves as a pivotal mounting for a lug 23formed on the bottom face of a rectangular plate 24 carrying hingeelement 25.

As best illustrated in Fig. 5, one plate 24 is mounted on every secondalternate link I6 and each of said plates is suitably off-set upwardlyat one end to provide a marginal lip 26 which overlies the end of thenext adjacent plate. Accordingly, the plates 24 provide an unbrokencovering for the open top side of the track II so as to effectivelyyprevent waste or the link from entering the track and impair-ing theoperation of the conveyor chain therein.

, The spaced apart hinge elements 25 provided on the top face of eachplate 24 constitute means for pivotally connecting a plurality of pans21 to the conveyor chain for movement therewith. As shown, each pan 21has a rigid depending complemental hinge element 28 disposed between thehinge elements 25 on a related plate 24 and pivotally retained as by aking pin 29. The depending complemental hinge element 28 on each pan isof suicient height so that when said pans are in a substantiallyvertical position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, they will hang freelyoutwardly of` one face of the track II and, when supported, in a mannerto be described presently, in the horizontal position illustrated inFig. 4, they are located at an elevation above said track.

y The table consisting of the horizontally disposed track II and endlessconveyor chain I4 carrying the pans 21, is used in conjunction with anoverhead conveyor of any suitable type and of a kind adapted to advancepoultry into positions to be worked upon by workers located at variousstations around the track II.

As best shown in Fig. 2, an overhead conveyor chain 3l, which may belike chain I4, is suitably enclosed within and guided along the overheadinverted U-shaped track 32 which may be suspended from any supports (notshown) and is arranged to advance poultry from its receiving end Ralong. a path in substantially vertical alignment with at least aportion of the track II. In the instant arrangement, the track 32 is1ocated above and in vertical alignment with one longitudinal sideportion of the track II and it will be noted upon referring to Fig. 1that the chain 3'I carries a plurality of pendants 33 including shackles34 spaced apart distances corresponding to the spacing of the pans 21 onthe table conveyor chain I4. Thus it will be observed that,l during thetravel of the two conveyors along like paths,` a fowl is held suspendedabove each of the related pans 21.

It is during the travel of the fowl and pans through this area that thefowl is cut up for packaging. The pieces of fowl as Well as any wastematerial are deposited in the pans 21 and, upon the completion of thecutting operations, the pieces deposited in the pans are carried outfrom beneath the overhead conveyor 3I into an area of the table wherepackaging of the pieces is accomplished. To this end the pans 21containing the out pieces continue to advance around the track I I and,at various stations preferably located along the other longitudinal sideofthe table, the pieces are removed from the pans by operators andpackaged in a manner to be described presently.

Any unwanted materials, such as liquids and other waste, are removedfrom the pans and deposited in a waste receptacle 35 suitably positionedclosely adjacent to and beneath one end of the table Ii. Any Wasteremaining in the pans after they have advanced beyond the area of pieceselection and packaging, are accordingly removed from the pans and saidpans then are washed and sterilized before being returned to the area ofthe table passing beneath the fowl conveyor chain 3 I.

In order to accomplish the disposal of waste and the washing andsterilizing of the pans, it is desirable, in the present apparatus, tomove said pans from their horizontal positions into substantiallyvertical positions. Such movement or repositioning of the pans duringtheir travel along a selected portion of the track I I is accomplishedby means associated with the track II for supporting the pans in theselected position. The means for supporting the pans horizontal isperhaps best illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 4. As there shown, a rail 36preferably is secured as by means of brackets 31 to the track II in suchposition that its upper edge is located in a plane corresponding to theplane of the bottom of the pans while the pans are horizontal. Thebrackets 31 extend outwardly and upwardly from the track II so as tolocate the rail outwardly of the track I I in the manner shown.

The rail 36 has one end terminating substantially at the juncture of theoverhead conveyor 32 with the track II and its other end terminatessubstantially at the juncture where the pan conveyor leaves the area ofpackaging. The end portion of the track not provided with the rail 36 isfitted with means to wash and sterilize the pans after the contentsthereof have been removed or dumped into the waste receptacle 35 andwhile the pans are in a substantially vertical position. Such washingand sterilizing means is described and claimed in my co-pendingapplication aforesaid now Patent No. 2,516,499, granted July 12, 1950.

It is su-cient to note at this time that the washing and sterilizingmeans preferably consists of a sheet metal housing 38 suitably arrangedto enclose the end portion of the track I I not provided with the rail316. Upon referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the pan conveyortrack II extends through the housing 38 closely adjacent to one wallthereof. The end walls 39 of said housing are cut out as at 4I to enablefree passage of the vertical pans 21 therethrough. One or more sprayingelements 42 is provided in the housing 38 in such positions as to spraysteam and water against the inside face of the vertically suspended pansas they advance through the housing. A baille 43 is provided Within thehousing 38 rearwardly of the vertically positioned pans 21 so as toprevent spray from striking the track I I and the conveyor chain I 4therein. In this manner the necessary lubricant for the conveyor chainI4 is prevented from being washed out of the track II.

As has been explained hereinabove, the pans 21 are normally heldsubstantially horizontal by the rails 36 for a predetermined portion oftheir circuit around the table and are permitted to drop into a verticalposition to discharge their waste contents and for Washing andsterilizing, whereupon they are again raised into their initialhorizontal position. Accordingly. the apparatus is provided with meanstol cause a gradual lowering of the pans from the horizontal positioninto the vertical position and with means to again elevate' said pansinto their horizontal position. The means to gradually lower the pansprefer'- ably -consists of a rail section 44, shown in Fig. 2, providedat one end of the rail 36. This rail section merges with the rail and isinclined downwardly and inwardly toward the track I to merge with ahorizontally disposed auxiliary' rail located below and in a planesubstantially co-'inclined with the outside face of the Vtrack II. Thusit will be seen that as a pan advances off o'f the end of the rail 36 itswings downwardly gradually in to its vertical or dumping position. AThe auxiliary rail 45 extends through the sterilizing and washing unit38v and provides a backing surface against which the verticallysuspended pans 21 are rested during their movement through said unit.The other end of the auxiliary rail 45, at the outlet end of the unit38, merges with an .arcuate rail portion 46 which rises gradually so asto merge with the other end of the rail 36. This arcuate rail portion 46provides :means for gradually elevating the pans 21 from g,

their vertical position into the' horizontal position required for use.

In order to facilitate efficient packing of the pieces of fowl containedin the pans 21and carried, out :from beneath the overhead conveyor r.;

chain 3|, means is associated with one longitudinal side of the tablefor successively advancing containers 49 adapted to receive ythe pieces.As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, such means consists preferably of anendless conveyor belt 5I suitably y;

tr'amed over rollers 52 and 53` having their axles journalled in a frame54 at a height suilicient to locate the upper reach of the belt 5| at aconvenient distance above the tops of the conveyor pans 21. This belt isadapted to be driven through the common drive means, to be described indetail hereinafter, operative to drive the pan conveyor and overheadconveyor at uniform speeds.

In use, the three conveyors are operated in unison so that fowl isadvanced over the pan 1 conveyor during which time said fowl is suitablycut and the pieces are deposited in thepans. As the pans carrying suchpieces continue around the circuit of the table, they are carriedbeneath the package conveyor 5I whereupon operators select pieces of thefowl from the pans and deposit them in selected containers 49. Thecontainers 49, containing the desired number of pieces of the fowl,advance with the belt conveyor 5I .and move off of the end thereof ontoAs indicated hereinbefore, the means for driving the three conveyors isadapted to be operated in unison so that all of said conveyors advanceat the same rate of speed. Accordingly, common drive means is providedfor said conveyors. As best shown in Fig. 1, the pan conveyor drivingunit I3 includes a shaft 63 having a pulley 64 on its extended endoperatively connected with a pulley 65 on a power driven unit, generallyindicated at 66 associated with the overhead conveyor chain 3|, by meansof a belt 61. The power driven unit 66 is substantially like thev unitI3 except that it includes a motor 68 carrying a pulley 69 for impartingrotation to an idler pulley 1I through a belt 12. The idler pulley 1I iscarried on the end of an idler shaft 13 having a gear 14 fixed on itsother end, constituting one of a plurality of gears in a gear reductiondrive best shown in- Fig. 2. The gear 14 meshes with a gear 15 carriedon an intermediate shaft 16 in the upper power unit 66, which moves witha pinion 11 firmly secured on a shaft 18 carrying the pulley 65. Thus itwill be observed that op eration of the motor 68 will impart rotation tothe intermediate shaft 'I3 in the upper unit 66 and to the shaft 63 inthe lower unit I3.

The shaft 18 in' the upper power unit 66 exite'nds rearwardly, as viewedin Fig. 2, and carries' on its end a pulley 19. A belt 8| connects thepulley 19 with a pulley 32 carried on the shaft t3 of one of the packageconveyor belt rollers 53. It should be apparent at this time that allthree conveyor units are operated by means of a common power' source.

Since the units I3 and 66 are alike in the con'- struction of themechanism operated by rotation of their respective shafts 63 and 18, thefollowing description is limited to the remaining details ofconstruction of but one of said units but is applicable to both unitsand like numerals are used to identify corresponding parts.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and '7, the unit I3 having the shaft 63 drivenby the pulley 54 also includes parallel shafts 84 and 85. The shaft 84positively driven by rotation of the shaft 63, as through gears 86 and81, and both shafts 84 and 35 carry sprockets 88 having an endless chain39 trained thereover. The chain 89 carries a plurality of uniformlyspaced apart lugs 9| which extend through a slot 92 in the bed plate ofthe4 unit I3 and are adapted to engage and disengage successively withthe links I5 of the conveyor chain I4 to thereby advance said conveyorchain I4 at a uniform rate of speed during the operation of the unit I3.The like construction provided in the upper unit E5 similarly coactswith the endless conveyor 3| to advance it at the same uniform rate ofspeed as the conveyor chain I4. Thus it will be evident that bothconveyors are advanced in unison so as to retain the poultry suspendedfrom the overhead conveyor 3| above a related pan 21 on the tablethroughout their coinciding paths of travel.

In order to facilitate the cutting of the poultry suspended above theconveyor pans 21, suitable work tables 93 and 94 preferably areprovided, one on each side of the pan conveyor. Each of these tablespreferably is provided with a power driven circular saw 9'5.

Although an exemplary installation and form of construction have beendisclosed in the accompanying drawings and described in detailhereinabove, it should be understood that the invention is capable ofembodying a variety of modifications in detail structure and may beincorporated in apparatus having a layout differing from the speciclayout illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination,an endless track substantially U-shaped in section, an endlessconstantially U-shaped in section, an endless conveyor chain in saidtrack, said conveyor chain including substantially rectangular platesoverlying said track and overlapped at their ends, a hinge element oneach plate, a plurality of pans carried by said conveyor, and acomplemental i hinge element on each pan adjacent one end for hingedlyconnecting the pans one to each plate, and means coextensive with asubstantial portion of the endless track to support the other ends ofthe pans While they are carried along said track portion.

3. A conveyor system comprising a track substantially U-shaped insection, a conveyor chain in said track, said chain consisting of aplurality of links joined to one another at their extremities, rollerson said links to roll in said track, a plurality cf plates overlyingsaid track and connected to selected links, and a plurality of pans, oneof said pans being hingedly connected toeach of said plates.

4. A conveyor system comprising a track sub'- stantially U-shaped insection, a conveyor chain in said track, said chain consisting of aplurality of links joined to one another at their extremities, alternatevertical and horizontal rollers on alternate links, said rollers beingarranged to roll in said track, a plurality of plates overlying saidtrack and connected to selected links, and a plurality of pans, one ofsaid pans being hingedly connected to each of said plates.

5. A conveyor system comprising a track substantially U-shaped insection, a conveyor chain in said track, a plurality of cover platesoverlying said track, said cover plates being connected to said conveyorchain, ,and a plurality of pans, one pan hingedly connected to each ofsaid cover plates.

6. A conveyor system comprising a track substantially U-shaped insection, a conveyor chain in said track, a plurality of cover platesoverlying said track, means connecting said cover plates to saidconveyor chain, a marginal lip on each cover plate adapted to overlie anadjacent cover plate, and a plurality of pans, one pan hing` edlyconnected to each of said cover plates.

7. A conveyor system comprising a track substantially U-shaped insection, a conveyor chain in said track, a plurality of cover platesoverlying said track, means connecting said cover plates to saidconveyor chain, a plurality of pans, one pan being hingedly connected toeach of said cover plates, said hinged connection allowing said pans tobe swung through an arc of at least degrees.

EDWARD J. ALBRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 501,331 Doolittle July 11, 1893703,903 Dodge July 1, 1902 l1,422,673 Collins July 11, 1922 1,492,178Nicholas Apr. 29, 1924 1,535,338 Pade Apr. 28, 1925 1,560,680 FernandesNov. 10, 1925 1,580,745 McBride Apr. 13, 1926 2,027,266 Bogaty Jan. 7,1936 2,319,617 Manierre May 18, 1943 2,381,044 Franz Aug. '7, 1945

